---
title: Does exercise affect how the brain responds to sadness in women with PMS?
description: In women with severe PMS, exercise slowed down the brain's response to sad faces, suggesting it may affect emotion regulation areas. However, this is based on
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/neurobiological-effects-of-exercise-intervention-for-premenstrual-syndrome-2023/
---

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- Does exercise affect how the brain responds to sadness in women with PMS?

Survey study, 2023

# Does exercise affect how the brain responds to sadness in women with PMS?

In women with severe PMS, exercise slowed down the brain's response to sad faces, suggesting it may affect emotion regulation areas. However, this is based on a small study measuring brain activity changes, not actual symptom relief.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with premenstrual syndrome (specific number not stated)

## What they did

Cross-sectional study where women with PMS performed computer tasks viewing sad or neutral images before and after one exercise session. Brain electrical activity was measured using EEG at multiple locations.

## What they found

Women with higher PMS severity showed significantly longer brain response times (N2 latency) to sad faces after exercise (p < 0.05). No significant changes in error rates were found.

## What it means for you

The brain's emotion regulation network may respond to exercise in women with severe PMS. However, this study measured brain activity only, not symptom improvement, and had no control group for comparison.

75%-90%

percentage of women who experience PMS

p < 0.05

statistical significance

## About the study

Original title Neurobiological effects of exercise intervention for premenstrual syndrome Authors Hwang RJ, Chen HJ, Ni LF et al. Journal Cognitive neurodynamics Year 2023 Study design Survey study What was tested Single session of exercise Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s11571-022-09893-0](https://doi.org/10.1007/s11571-022-09893-0)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Mood swings and emotion regulation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-emotional-regulation/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)

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